VirginiaRetail tobacco and hemp products; smoking by a person younger than 21 years of age, prohibitions.
What it does
Possession, etc., of retail tobacco products and hemp products intended for smoking by a person younger than 21 years of age; liquid nicotine and nicotine vapor products license; prohibitions; enforcement. Prohibits any person younger than 21 years of age from possessing any retail tobacco or hemp product intended for smoking, as those terms are defined in relevant law, with certain exceptions enumerated in the bill. The bill provides that any such product purchased or possessed by a person younger than 21 years of age (i) shall be deemed contraband and (ii) may be seized by a law-enforcement officer.
More detail
Any such product, the lawful possession of which is not established, seized by such officer shall be forfeited and disposed of according to the process described in relevant law. The bill also provides that seizure shall be the sole penalty for a violation of such prohibition and that the provisions of the bill shall not preclude prosecution under any other statute. Further, if a person does not receive a license from the Department of Taxation to sell, deal, transport, or ship liquid nicotine or nicotine vapor products to retailers in the Commonwealth, such person is subject to a penalty of $400, in addition to any other applicable taxes or fees. The bill provides that the Department of Taxation is not required pursuant to relevant law to conduct unannounced investigations of retail tobacco dealers at least once every 24 months to verify that a retail dealer is not selling retail tobacco products to persons younger than 21 years of age. Lastly, the bill requires the Department of Taxation to convene a work group consisting of the Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority, the Office of the Attorney General, the Virginia State Police, and the Department of Behavioral Health and Development Services to develop an enforcement program related to the sale of retail tobacco products or hemp products intended for smoking to individuals younger than 21 years of age. The work group's findings and recommendations are to be reported to the Chairs of the House Committees on General Laws and Appropriations and the Senate Committees on Rehabilitation and Social Services and Finance and Appropriations no later than November 1, 2025. This bill is identical to SB 1060.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- Mar 24Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0595)Latest
- Mar 24Approved by Governor Glenn Youngkin-Chapter 595 (Effective 07/01/25)Became Law
- Mar 24Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1946)
- Mar 11Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025To Governor
- Mar 11Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025Minor
- Mar 10Signed by PresidentMajor
- Mar 7Signed by SpeakerMajor
- Mar 7Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1946ER)Major
- Mar 7EnrolledMinor
- Feb 24Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1946)
- Feb 21Conference report agreed to by Senate (36-Y 2-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Conference report agreed to by Senate (36-Y 2-N). Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Conference report agreed to by House (82-Y 8-N). Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 21Conference report agreed to by House (82-Y 8-N)Minor
- Feb 20Conference substitute printed 25107841D-H3
- Feb 20Amended by conference committee
- Feb 12Senators: Ebbin, Salim, Peake
- Vote recorded Senate substitute rejected by House (5-Y 87-N). Result: fail.Lower
- Vote recorded Passed Senate with substitute (38-Y 1-N). Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Senate insisted on substitute (40-Y 0-N). Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 12Conferees appointed by Senate
- Feb 12Delegates: Hope, Seibold, Austin
- Feb 12Conferees appointed by House
- Feb 12House acceded to request
- Feb 12Senate requested conference committeeMinor
- Feb 12Senate insisted on substitute (40-Y 0-N)Major
- Feb 12Senate substitute rejected by House (5-Y 87-N)
- Feb 12Passed Senate with substitute (38-Y 1-N)Passed Senate
- Feb 12Engrossed by Senate - committee substituteMajor
- Feb 12Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to
- Feb 12Reading of substitute waived
- Feb 12Courts of Justice Substitute rejected
- Feb 12Read third timeMinor
- Feb 11Passed by for the day
- Vote recorded Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (14-Y 1-N). Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N). Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 11Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N)
- Feb 11Rules suspended
- Feb 11Committee substitute printed 25107214D-S2Major
- Feb 11Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (14-Y 1-N)Minor
- Feb 10Committee substitute printed 25107102D-S1Major
- Vote recorded Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N). Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 10Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)Minor
- Feb 10Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1946)
- Feb 5Referred to Committee for Courts of JusticeMinor
- Vote recorded Read third time and passed House (91-Y 7-N). Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 5Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- Feb 4Read third time and passed House (91-Y 7-N)Passed House
- Feb 4Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar
- Feb 3Engrossed by House - committee substituteMajor
- Feb 3Appropriations Substitute agreed to
- Feb 3Courts of Justice Substitute rejected
- Feb 3Read second timeMinor
- Feb 2Read first timeMinor
- Jan 31Committee substitute printed 25106267D-H2Major
- Vote recorded Reported from Appropriations with substitute (22-Y 0-N). Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 31Reported from Appropriations with substitute (22-Y 0-N)Minor
- Jan 30Assigned Approps sub: Transportation & Public SafetyMinor
- Jan 24Committee substitute printed 25105218D-H1Major
- Vote recorded Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Appropriations (22-Y 0-N). Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 24Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and referred to Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)Minor
- Jan 22Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1946)
- Jan 17Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referred to Appropriations (8-Y 0-N)Major
- Vote recorded Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and rereferred to Appropriations (8-Y 0-N). Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 16Assigned Courts sub: CriminalMinor
- Jan 6Referred to Committee for Courts of JusticeMinor
- Jan 6Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-13-2025 25104395DIntroduced